Featured Image Credit: Getty stock images
Topics: Health, Sex and Relationships
Gregory Robinson
The glaring purple-ish mark on your neck after a rather intense make out session may seem like the norm, but there are some signs to look out that could mean your hickey is something more serious.
Hickeys, also called love bites, are usually no big deal, although there are times when you may be left looking at your neck wondering: “How long does a hickey last? How can I get rid of it? Could it be something else?”
A hickey is basically just a bruise, usually with a more passionate backstory than the times you accidentally bumped into furniture.
It comes about when the person you’re having an intimate moment with sucks an area of your body, typically the neck area.
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The sucking action bursts tiny blood vessels beneath the skin called capillaries which releases tiny spots of blood, creating the well-known marks people often feel the need to hide from friends and family (or generally anyone who is quite nosey).
Hickeys can appear anywhere on the body, not just the neck.
It should come as no surprise that they are usually the size and shape of a mouth — expect to see somewhat of an oval shape. The bruise may change colour over time, from red to dark purple or even yellow.
This heat of the moment reminder on the skin may only take a few seconds to show up, but there is no quick fix.
Similar to other bruises, it can take anywhere between three days to two weeks to disappear.
One way to ease the process along is to put an ice pack on the hickey for the first 1-2 days after the mark appears. Try to hold the cold compress against the mark for around 15 minutes at a time, several times a day.
After two days, try a warm compress. Applying some heat will increase blood flow to the area (which is why you should avoid doing this in the first 48 hours).
A hickey typically should not cause any serious issues. However, according to WebMD, you should consult a doctor if the hickey doesn’t go away after a few weeks.
If the hickey is sore or if you notice other bruises on your body, especially if you don’t know how you got them. If you find a lump over the bruise, this should also be discussed with a medical professional.
Death by hickey can occur in very rare cases. A blood vessel called the carotid artery runs down either side of your neck and putting a lot of pressure on this artery could cause a clot to form.
In 2016, a 17-year-old boy in Mexico City named Julio Macias Gonzalez died after a hickey from his girlfriend caused a stroke.
A hickey caused a 44-year-old woman from New Zealand to have a non-fatal stroke, according to a 2010 study published in the New Zealand Medical Journal.
But these cases are very rare and hickeys are usually just a bit of fun that unfortunately (or fortunately) lingers, which leaves you reaching for a scarf or concealer to cover it up to avoid awkward conversations about your intimate life.
If you are concerned, have conversations with your partner about where you would like a hickey, how long they should do it for and where. Consider having a safe word to communicate when you want them to stop and perhaps avoid the neck area close to the carotid arteries.
Be safe and have fun!